In Line
by DanieXJ
Summary: Maura and Jane take TJ to see Santa.
1. Chapter 1

"Why are we out here in the ass end of suburbia to see a Santa?"

Maura glanced behind them with an apologetic smile. "Firstly, it's Burlington, less than fifteen miles from Boston, and we're here because this Santa is-" She glanced around at all the kids waiting in line and lowered her voice. "-the best." She tickled TJ's foot. "And TJ deserves the best."

Jane shook her head, "I don't know how you talked me into this Maur-"

Maura smiled, "It was your mother's idea actually."

Jane shifted TJ in her arms and stared at Maura, "Really?" Maura nodded. "I don't get it. You'd think she'd want Tommy and Lydia to do this, not us." She shook her head.

"Did your parents take you to see Santa?"

Jane nodded as the line slowly moved forward. "They did."

When Jane didn't elaborate Maura probed further, "Did you ask him for anything?"

"Sometimes- I think a bike one year- new baseball glove, bb gun. The Santa almost always gave me a look and wondered out loud if I'd prefer a dollie or a toy horse." Jane rolled her eyes, "You?"

Maura shook her head quickly, "No. I never did. Christmas tide was a much less- whimsical time for me than the rest of the world I think."

Jane shifted TJ to one arm and put her other one around Maura, "Bet he'd let you tell him what you want this year."

"He…" Maura put her arm around Jane's waist with a smile, "No, no- it's all right. I never needed for anything when I was a child. Today is about TJ. So, let's get his parents some pictures of him with Santa."

Jane frowned, "Hey, never needing, that's fine and good, but, sometimes what we want is important too."

Maura cleared her throat and looked away, "Sometimes we can't have what we want."

That only caused Jane's frown to deepen, "Maura?"

Maura looked forward again, "It's TJ's turn."

They went up to Santa and his helpers. TJ seemed to love the big man in red, the little guy smiling the whole time. They got a picture with Santa and then spur of the moment, another one with all three of them. soon after that TJ decided that he was done with all the Santa hulla ballo though, and was hungry.

The three of them went to the food court and soon they were all eating lunch.

"All your shopping done?"

Jane shook her head, "Are you kiddin'? I still have four days. Nah, I'll probably be out on Tuesday. You?" Jane held up a hand, "No, wait. You were done by turkey day?"

Maura paused, "Not entirely. Everyone except- you. I find you very hard to buy presents for at the moment."

Jane made a pfftt noise, "Nah, get me a World Series ball cap and I'm good."

Maura frowned, "Don't you already have two. Not to mention a Bruins stanley glass one, as well as a Celtics and three Patriots ones?"

Jane put a hand over her mouth, trying to stifle the laughter. "Sorry. I'm sorry. I don't know where to start. I do have two Red Sox World Series winners caps. One for '04 and one for '07. This one would be for '13. Ah, and it's Lord Stanley's- ah- Cup. Anyway, if not a hat, then a Flyin' Hawaiian or Pedey shirt would work too."

"I- I only understood about half of that."

Jane didn't get a chance to respond as she nearly jumped as Tommy and Lydia appeared out of nowhere. "Sis- where's the pictures?"

Maura cleared her throat and stood, "I'll take our trash-" She escaped the table.

Tommy glanced that way, "She okay Janie?"

Jane frowned as she watched her friend walk towards the trash bins. "I don't know. So, are you taking him home?"

"Yeah, a little shopping then home. Thanks though, got the pictures?"

"Ah, yeah." Jane was still watching Maura with a furrow to her brow. She shook her head and focused on her brother. "Yeah, here-" She pushed the envelope across the table. "You good to go?"

Tommy watched as Jane watched Maura. "Yeah. I am. Go talk to her already."

Jane looked back to Tommy, "What?"

Tommy shook his head and stood, "Never mind. I'll see you at Maura's on Christmas Morning? Bright and early?"

"Yep. See ya Tommy."

As Lydia and Tommy left Maura came back to the table. "Maura- you didn't have to leave. I mean. We're having Christmas morning at your house-"

Maura shook her head, "I took the time to compose myself. Caring for TJ has caused my biological clock to make itself felt more than I could adequately control."

Jane reached across the table and put her hand over Maura's. "Hey- they'd get that too. Hell, my mother'd be glad somebody's worried about having kids."

"Jane- why do you insist that I'm family."

Jane frowned, "I'm not sure I understand."

"You call me Aunt Maura when you talk to TJ and you just-"

Jane moved from the chair across from Maura to one next to her. "What's up with you Maura? This isn't like you at all."

"I'm sorry."

Jane pulled the chair closer and took Maura's other hand in her own, "No. No, that's not what I mean. Just, please. Tell me what's wrong. You can tell me anything."

Maura shook her head for a moment, "I don't… I lied. I do have a present for you. Of a sort." She took an envelope from her bag and handed it to Jane. "Please, don't open it until you get home."

Jane sat back in her chair, the envelope between her hands. "I don't understand. Are you sick?"

Maura shook her head and stood, "No. Very healthy. Do you need a ride home?"

"Ah.." Jane stared at the front of the envelope with her name in Maura's strong script on it. "No. I'll take the T. Hey-" Maura turned, "Did you at least have fun today?"

Maura smiled, "I did. A lot of fun. I always do when out with you."


	2. Chapter 2

It was Christmas Eve. Jane glanced over at the clock. No, it was Wednesday morning, that meant it was Christmas Day. Jane sank into her couch and winced. Something was sticking into her side. She frowned as she yanked the offending item away from her body. An envelope with her name on it. "Maura. Oh."

After Maura had given it to her on Saturday she hadn't had a chance to read it or even open it. She'd gotten pulled into a homicide and was just getting home.

She sliced it open and pulled out the letter that was written on the nicest paper Jane had ever seen in Maura's flowing script.

_Dear Jane,_  
_You're my best friend. If I'm honest with myself, you're most likely one of the only true friends I've ever had. And that is why the admission contained in this letter is so hard. I would prefer to know when exactly this feeling began. Perhaps it was in the moment you shot yourself to resolve the hostage situation and get your brother help faster, or the months after when I was the only one you listened to even a little. Or when you relieved the pressure in my leg and saved my life and my leg. Or perhaps it was the thousand and one other times that you were there for me in little ways that you were possibly not even aware of. Sharing your mother, your brothers, you work life. Never blinking and being by my side while my family drama exploded around me._

_But, although I may not know when the feeling started, I do know what it is. I love you Jane. Not in a platonic way, but I love you romantically._

_I know that this letter is not fair, and I don't expect anything. Maybe this letter will never leave my possession. But, if it has and you're reading this. Friend or lover you are the best thing that has ever happened to me Jane Rizzoli._

_Thank you._

_Love,_  
_Maura_

Jane sighed and with a big groan, levered herself off the sofa and grabbed her coat and keys.

oOOOOo

Maura couldn't sleep, and so there she stood in her kitchen. Cooking. She'd made so many types of cookies, muffins and everything in between, the Rizzoli clan wasn't going to be able to even dent the surface of them. She was trying to keep her mind off the fact that she hadn't seen Jane since she'd given her the letter. It had been Korsak who'd come down to see the autopsy, had said that Jane was running down a time sensitive lead. She'd tried to keep the sadness and worry off her face, but Vince had been worried. Everyone seemed to be worried about her lately.

Maura jumped, splattering batter on herself, as there was a quiet knock on the door. She frowned, it was two am in the morning. She made her way to the door and slowly opened it. She blinked in surprise, "Jane?"

"May I come in?"

Maura was stunned silent for a moment, then seemed to snap out of it, "Oh, of course, of course. Jane, you have on no coat or hat or…"

Jane came inside and rubbed her hands together to try and get the circulation going. "I drove, I just…" Jane paused and with her index finger removed a bit of batter from Maura's cheek. "Mm… gingerbread cookies?"

Maura's face felt so hot that she was sure she was about to spontaneously combust, and she didn't believe in true spontaneous combustion. "I- ah…"

Jane gently led Maura to her couch and sat them both down. "I'm sorry. I got called in on this Smith thing right after I got home on Saturday, I didn't read your card until, well… about ten minutes ago."

"Oh-"

"Maura."

Maura put a hand up, "No. I'd. I would rather not know."

She started to stand, but Jane pulled her back down. "C'mon now. Since when are you a pessimist."

"Realist."

Jane raised an eyebrow at Maura, "You're making some big assumptions about me by not letting me speak."

"I have never seen you date a woman."

Jane cleared her throat a couple of times, "Well, technically, I haven't dated any women."

Maura tried to sit perfectly still, but her hands twisted each other of their own accord. "That's what I…"

"I just slept with them. One night things."

"Oh."

Jane moved closer to Maura and put a hand on her cheek, "You know that you've been there for me in so many ways too Maur- I love my family, but, I'm not sure if I would have made it back to duty after everything if it weren't for you. You balance me. When I start bitching about my life, my Mom, my brothers…" Jane practically growled out the final person, "My father. You remind me that I have it soo, soo great. And you're a part of that too Maura. You ruined shoes for me. You've taken to making guesses for me. Taken in my mother for me."

"That's all just…"

Jane put two fingers over Maura's lips, "We're not the same person Maura. Me shooting myself to save you two, there's not reason that's not the equivalent of you guessing that a red substance is blood."

"What-" Maura took a deep breath, "What are you saying?"

Jane shook her head, moving closer to Maura, "Nothing." She closed the last few inches between them and kissed Maura. The ME was caught off guard at first, but after a beat, she wrapped her arms around the Detective and pulled her closer. As if she were trying to make both of them occupy the same space.

It was a startled gasp that pulled them from their kiss. They both looked over and back at the front door where a stunned Angela stood in her PJs. "I just… I saw the light, and I was wor… I'm going to. I'm… goodnight, or morning, or.." Without finishing a sentence she backed out of the house and pulled the door closed with a solid thump.

Jane and Maura sat there for a moment, Maura looking just a bit worried, then Jane cracked up, and soon Maura joined her. They wound up Jane sprawled out on the couch with Maura mostly on top of her. "What, not gonna ask if you're squishing me."

"As long as I do not put undue pressure on your diaphragm or all my weight on your lungs, you'll survive." She paused, "Jane. What does this mean?"

Jane brushed a lock of Maura's hair from her forehead, "I don't know. I don't like using UHaul, sometimes I go Penske, sometimes Budget."

Maura frowned, "What?"

"Just a joke. Never mind. I don't know what's next. As I said, only ever slept with women, never stayed for the next morning. Usually had class, or a couple of times I had to get to work."

"I'm not, I just… I think I'm tired."

Jane lowered Maura's head to her chest, "Then sleep. You'll need it when Frankie, Tommy, etc. descend on this place. Oh, and did I tell you, Uncle Ro…" Jane looked down, she no longer had an audience, Maura was fast asleep. She wrapped protective arms around Maura and closed her own eyes. "Best Christmas Present Ever."


End file.
